The National Museum of the Royal Navy and the Mary Rose have re-opened the gates to visitors.

Matthew Sheldon, director of operations for the NMRN, said: ‘Getting everyone back into the dockyard has been an incredible feeling.  Walking around here during lockdown has felt far too eerie.

‘Seeing the first few people walking through the gates in the morning was a really lovely sight for us. People say they have missed coming here and that genuinely means a lot to us.’

Dominic Jones, chief operating officer for the Mary Rose Museum, said: ‘Local people are the heartbeat of this place – from our most loyal visitors, to the hard-working staff members.

‘Portsmouth Historic Dockyard without the people of Portsmouth would be a very hollow place indeed. They are part of our history, and now we need them to help secure our future.

Every museum in the country is facing challenging times at the moment, so local support is more important than ever. Both of the first two opening days at PHD were SOLD OUT and hopes are high that this momentum can be maintained.’

Buying a brand new ‘ultimate explorer’ ticket that grants access to HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose, will give you the most comprehensive experience at the dockyard to date. Remember - booking your time slot in advance is essential, as tickets are not available at the gate. So please only travel to the Dockyard if you have a pre-booked slot.